The Use of Color in the Environment of the Elderly to Enhance Function

Empirical evidence suggests that the functional level of the institutionalized elderly is favorably affected by enriching the environment with the specific use of color and light. Evidence of the validity of this supposition would form a worthwhile contribution to geriatric rehabilitation by promoting the independence of the elderly in the area of activities of daily living. The quality of literature on the appropriate use of environmental color for an institutionalized geriatric population is limited, being primarily descriptive in nature. In general, visual enhancement by the selective use of color is advocated to minimize the adverse effects of sensory deprivation and to enhance mood, whereas color coding and cueing are directed toward improving function. Faced with a variable literature base and a scarcity of studies that scientifically approach the question of what effect visual enhancement might have on function in the elderly, the authors of this paper are conducting a pilot study with the following objectives: To demonstrate that color cueing (in the form of color contrast applied to key objects in the environment) and increased lighting can enhance the performance of activities of daily living in an institutionalized elderly population. To study the concept that improvement in activities of daily living corresponds with improvement in the patient's mood and feelings of self-worth. To evaluate the effect of color and lighting changes in the environment on various aspects of behavior. It is hypothesized that improvement in behavior will accompany increased functional independence. Thus, we would expect to see a relationship between aspects of behavior and those aspects of mood and activities of daily living currently under investigation.